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The artist has given the complete sum of his £25,000 honor prize money to the trust for venues, which operates to protect the UK's small music venues.

He was presented with the award on 16 October as his new release People Watching was named the top album of the last 12 months.

The musician has decided to donate the funds to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages had in his early career.

"I personally would not have achieved my current career if it wasn't for all the gigs I did around the North East, and further afield, when I was beginning," stated the artist. "These spaces are iconic, but they are facing challenges."

Since the start of 2023, at least 150 of these locations have permanently closed – approximately one-sixth of the whole industry in the UK.

Over the past year, well-known musicians including Pulp, Coldplay, Katy Perry and Ed Sheeran have all aided the trust in its attempts to support the industry, by adding a modest fee to their ticket costs, which supports smaller concert halls.

Fender also took part, collecting in excess of £100,000 on his 2024 arena tour to help 38 grassroots venues across Britain.

The money supported venues that were dealing with imminent closure due to difficulties stemming from water damage, fires and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and neighbor objections.

Other venues received monetary aid in upgrading facilities and technical equipment that helped performers and fans.

"The notion that money from concerts in major spaces backs the local stages, where it all starts for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.

Fender is among several artists to donate his honor prize money to worthy causes.

Back when the band received the trophy in the mid-90s for their record Different Class, vocalist Cocker announced that the act would contribute their cash to the non-profit War Child.

That year, artist she shared her prize among multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell charity.

"And I contributed a thousand pounds to the center, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they needed better apparatus," the artist shared with the media.

Two years ago, Ezra Collective gave their prize money to the youth organization that nurtured their group, as well as other grassroots music organisations.

Also winners that year they contributed their winnings to a MS organization after a friend was found to have the disease.

"Receiving the award was sufficient," said singer Heather Small. "The money was the bonus but we didn't need the cherry, because we had the honor. So our winning impacted somebody else's life."

In the past week, the MVT revealed it had rescued several grassroots venues in south-east England, by bringing them into local control.

The Joiners in the city and the other in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues scheme, which is supported by Arts Council England and music fans who buy "stakes" in the buildings.